When we got solar panels for our house, the estimate was 13 years to breakeven.
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When we got solar panels for our house, the estimate was 13 years to breakeven. We broke even in 7 years, partly due to excellent electricity production from the panels and higher than expected electricity prices. Solar's a win-win!
@petergleick We installed 6.5kw panels and 9kw battery and expected payback is down from 8 to 6 years. Battery storage is a massive benefit if you can afford it as it allows us the best part of year free electric as we moved from gas cooker to electricity. In summer months air con is run pretty much free and even In winter we see battery levels of 20-30%.
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When we got solar panels for our house, the estimate was 13 years to breakeven. We broke even in 7 years, partly due to excellent electricity production from the panels and higher than expected electricity prices. Solar's a win-win!
@petergleick Same here.
Calculated ten year break even, happened in seven. The main factor was increasing power prices. The prices went up fast enough to compensate for the decrease in value of excess solar export.Unfortunately for others, I suspect that was the sweet spot, and such gains would be harder to achieve on new systems.
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When we got solar panels for our house, the estimate was 13 years to breakeven. We broke even in 7 years, partly due to excellent electricity production from the panels and higher than expected electricity prices. Solar's a win-win!
@petergleick Breakeven was crossed in year seven, but as importantly, energy price independence was achieved from year zero! At least to whatever degree your system was provisioned at.
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When we got solar panels for our house, the estimate was 13 years to breakeven. We broke even in 7 years, partly due to excellent electricity production from the panels and higher than expected electricity prices. Solar's a win-win!
@petergleick that's a win
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@petergleick Unfortunately, vast numbers of homeowners have been badly burned by various solar firms, and changes in rules for utility power by-backs have done even more damage. The California home solar industry is viewed by many neutral observers as essentially nearly dead.
@lauren @petergleick
We don't sell to grid at all as that needs:
* More expensive electronics.
* Certified installer.
* Smart Meter and Direct Debit. We have a mechanical meter & pay cash at P.O. when bill (posted) is due.So ours is a pair of DIY UPS systems. Most non-heat/non-cooking gear is on it 24x7. Batteries charge from Solar or Grid. Set to 80% in in Dec/Jan and 15% minimum spring to autumn.
Electricity bill nearly 1/2.
Indefinite backup summer, 12 hours in Dec/Jan during power cuts. -
When we got solar panels for our house, the estimate was 13 years to breakeven. We broke even in 7 years, partly due to excellent electricity production from the panels and higher than expected electricity prices. Solar's a win-win!
@petergleick when, having solar and batteries, I bought an EV which I charge at home, my total electricity bill went down even in mid Winter as I can charge the solar batteries at night in cheap rate.
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When we got solar panels for our house, the estimate was 13 years to breakeven. We broke even in 7 years, partly due to excellent electricity production from the panels and higher than expected electricity prices. Solar's a win-win!
@petergleick
And you know what's best:
Breakeven for the planet is on Day 1 🥳 -
When we got solar panels for our house, the estimate was 13 years to breakeven. We broke even in 7 years, partly due to excellent electricity production from the panels and higher than expected electricity prices. Solar's a win-win!
@petergleick I actually went on Nextdoor (yr local cesspit of misinfo) yesterday and asked locals what it costs to install solar. Of course, since I live in a Very Red state, almost everyone told me that it was a Big Swindle, and almost nobody talked actual price.
I finally did some more research, and I believe it would cost me about $20k to install. 13 years break-even is what I was told to expect.
53% of North Carolina’s electricity comes from fossil fuels.
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Is that really a bad sign? Given the cost advantage of larger scale PV compared to rooftop PV, it's not not obviously great when rooftop PV is financially attractive.
It implies that either the large scale PV is bottlenecked, or rooftop solar benefits from some pricing loophole
@Zamfr @petergleick It's a complicated calculus in practice, especially as laws change, and given financially unstable or in some cases simply crooked installers.
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@lauren @petergleick The bad news solar companies are almost always “out of town” operations. Instead chose long established local solar companies, many of which are also either roofers or electricians, and have very good prospects of hanging on through this downturn. Solar is too sensible to go away, but right now is “diving under the wave” or “duck diving” in surfer parlance. It will flourish again as sure as the sun comes up each day.
@BegoniaArizona @petergleick It's not even always obvious when an apparently local dealer is actually affiliated with a much larger operation, even assuming local dealers are available at all in any particular area, much less truly independent ones. Many people are concerned that small dealers won't be around to support the systems for long, since solar is often something the dealers may not keep doing long term.
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@drewph @petergleick and very dependable
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